What Is a Maritime Injury Lawyers in Charleston, SC Case?

Roden Law represents injured maritime workers in Charleston, South Carolina and throughout the Lowcountry — Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Goose Creek, and North Charleston. Maritime injuries are governed by federal law, not South Carolina’s ordinary injury statutes, so the rules, remedies, and deadlines are different from a typical car or slip-and-fall case. We handle every claim […]

— Reviewed by Graeham C. Gillin, Partner, COO at Roden Law

Key Takeaways

If you were injured in a maritime injury in Charleston, South Carolina, you generally have 3 years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit (S.C. Code § 15-3-530). South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule — you can still recover as long as you are Modified — recover if less than 51% at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. There is no cap on compensatory damages in an ordinary South Carolina injury case. Roden Law represents Charleston injury victims on a contingency fee: the consultation is free and there is no fee unless we win.

Roden Law represents injured maritime workers in Charleston, South Carolina and throughout the Lowcountry — Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Goose Creek, and North Charleston. Maritime injuries are governed by federal law, not South Carolina’s ordinary injury statutes, so the rules, remedies, and deadlines are different from a typical car or slip-and-fall case. We handle every claim on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing unless we win. Roden Law has recovered more than $300 million for injured clients across Georgia and South Carolina and holds a 4.9-star average from hundreds of client reviews. Call (843) 790-8999 for a free, confidential case review.

Why Choose Roden Law for a Charleston Maritime Injury Claim

The Port of Charleston is one of the busiest container ports in the United States, and maritime injury law is a specialized federal field that most personal-injury firms do not handle. What separates Roden Law is knowing which law applies to your job — the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, or general maritime law — because that choice controls what you can recover. Our office at 127 King Street sits in downtown Charleston, minutes from the waterfront terminals where many of these injuries happen.

  • No fee unless we win — free consultation and no out-of-pocket cost to pursue your claim.
  • We identify the right federal remedy — Jones Act, LHWCA, or general maritime law, so no source of recovery is missed.
  • Direct attorney involvement — you work with your attorney, not a rotating desk of case managers.

Maritime Injuries Around the Port of Charleston

Work on and around the water carries hazards that ordinary jobsites do not. The cases our attorneys handle in the Charleston harbor and along the I-526 corridor include:

  • Longshore and dockworker injuries — crush injuries, falls, and equipment incidents loading and unloading vessels at the container terminals.
  • Crew and vessel-worker injuries — seamen hurt aboard tugs, barges, and commercial vessels operating in the harbor and coastal waters.
  • Slip, trip, and fall injuries on wet decks, gangways, and terminal surfaces.
  • Cargo-handling and machinery injuries involving cranes, forklifts, and rigging.

Federal Maritime Law You Should Know

Maritime injuries are not governed by South Carolina’s three-year injury statute. Instead, several federal frameworks may apply. The Jones Act protects injured seamen — crew members of a vessel — and lets them sue their employer for negligence. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a federal workers’-compensation system covering longshoremen, dockworkers, and harbor workers who load, unload, build, or repair vessels. General maritime law adds remedies such as maintenance and cure (medical care and living expenses while you recover) and unseaworthiness (a vessel owner’s duty to provide a reasonably safe ship). Each of these has its own filing deadline that differs from ordinary state-law cases, and those deadlines can be short — so it is important to call promptly rather than assume you have three years. Learn more from our South Carolina comparative negligence guide.

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What to Do After A maritime injury in Charleston, SC

  1. Ensure safety and call 911. Move to a safe location if possible. Call emergency services to report the accident and request medical attention for anyone injured.
  2. Seek immediate medical attention. Even if injuries seem minor, get examined by a doctor. Some injuries — such as traumatic brain injuries or internal bleeding — may not show symptoms immediately.
  3. Document the scene. Take photos of all vehicles, injuries, road conditions, traffic signs, and any visible damage. Collect names and contact information from witnesses.
  4. Exchange information with all parties. Get the other driver's name, insurance information, license plate number, and driver's license number. Do not admit fault or apologize.
  5. Report the accident to police. South Carolina law requires accident reports when there are injuries or significant property damage. Request a copy of the police report.
  6. Notify your insurance company. Report the accident to your insurer promptly. Provide factual information only — do not speculate about fault or the extent of your injuries.
  7. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney. An attorney can protect your rights, handle communications with insurance companies, and help you pursue the full compensation you deserve. Roden Law offers free consultations — call today.

South Carolina Personal Injury Law

Statute of Limitations 3 years (S.C. Code § 15-3-530)
Comparative Fault Modified — recover if less than 51% at fault

Filing a Personal Injury Case in Charleston

Filing a personal injury case in downtown Charleston means filing in the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas at 100 Broad Street, on the Tyler Odyssey-based South Carolina E-Filing system. Most cases are sent to mandatory mediation under SC ADR rules before reaching the jury trial roster, and a typical contested case takes 18–30 months from complaint to verdict.

Charleston’s peninsula geography concentrates risk on a few well-known corridors: the Crosstown (US-17 / Septima P. Clark Parkway), the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to Mount Pleasant, and the dense tourist grid around King and Market Streets, where rideshare drop-offs and carriage tours mix with out-of-state drivers. Charleston County logged more than 2,500 truck-related crashes in 2023, and the I-26/I-526 interchange just west of the peninsula recorded 354 collisions over a five-year period. Serious-injury patients from peninsula crashes are routed to MUSC Health (171 Ashley Ave) — the Lowcountry’s only Level I trauma center.

Under South Carolina law, you have 3 years to file under S.C. Code § 15-3-530, and you can recover only if you are less than 51% at fault. Shorter notice deadlines apply if SCDOT or the City of Charleston is a defendant under the SC Tort Claims Act.

Do I Have a Maritime injury Case in Charleston?

Maritime injuries are governed primarily by federal admiralty law, which preempts most state tort doctrines. The applicable framework depends on the worker’s status: seamen (members of a vessel’s crew) sue under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C. § 30104, which incorporates FELA’s “featherweight” causation standard plus general maritime claims for unseaworthiness and maintenance and cure. Longshore and harbor workers are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), 33 U.S.C. § 901 et seq., with § 905(b) third-party negligence claims against vessel owners. Recreational and passenger claims fall under general maritime negligence. Coastal South Carolina ports — Savannah, Brunswick, Charleston, Georgetown — generate substantial maritime caseloads.

Types of Compensation in South Carolina Maritime injury Cases

Jones Act seamen recover lost wages, past and future medical care, pain and suffering, and (in death cases under DOHSA, 46 U.S.C. § 30301) pecuniary losses to dependents. DOHSA bars recovery for loss of society in death cases per *Mobil Oil Corp. v. Higginbotham*, 436 U.S. 618 (1978) — a major trap that often makes plaintiffs prefer state-court wrongful-death claims when jurisdiction permits. LHWCA benefits are scheduled compensation similar to state workers’ comp. Maintenance and cure is a no-fault daily stipend plus medical treatment continuing until the seaman reaches maximum medical improvement (MMI), regardless of fault for the injury.

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Roden Law Maritime Injury Lawyers in Charleston, SC Results at a Glance

$300M+ Recovered for injured clients across Georgia and South Carolina
4.9 / 5.0 Average client rating across hundreds of verified Google reviews from our six offices
5,000+ Cases successfully handled since 2013
62 years Combined attorney experience across 5 office locations

Source: Roden Law firm records and verified Google Business Profile reviews, updated July 2026.

Recent Case Results

Settlement $27,000,000 $27,000,000 Settlement | Truck Accident
Verdict $10,860,000 $10,860,000 Verdict | Product Liability
Recovery $9,800,000 $9,800,000 Recovery | Premises Liability

Results shown are gross settlement/verdict amounts before fees and costs. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

About the Author

Graeham C. Gillin, Partner, COO at Roden Law

Graeham C. Gillin

Partner, COO

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Our Charleston Office Today

If you were injured in Charleston and believe another party is at fault, contact us for a free, no-obligation review. Call (843) 790-8999 — no upfront cost.